Life after death
by Anna Ramey
Summary: Josh thought that death would be the end for him. But he is able to see and hear the world around him. The problem is he's completly invisable. No one can see him, with one exception. Melissa Conner, his murderer.


I sighed rubbing the back of my neck taking a deep breath. The day had been pretty un eventful, Julie had left for school late…again. I moved toward the kitchen, not quite sure what I was going to find there. Nothing, at least that's what I thought, but something pierced my back. I gasped looking down to see the tip of a knife sticking out of my chest. Someone had stabbed me. I staggered backward right into their arms.

They helped me to the ground her voice mixing "Oh my god…Josh" it was Melissa…she'd killed me. Or attacked me…I obviously wasn't going to survive, not this time. I opened my mouth trying to speak but a wave of mind numbing pain washed over me. I don't know what had hurt more, the pain, or the fact that I used to trust this girl. But that had changed…I knew she disliked me now, but I didn't know she held murderous intent. Though I should've guessed as much, she had attacked me before this.

"That's one brother down." Erik said under his breath. I glanced up to see Erik looking smug standing behind her. This was some crazy plain he'd devised to get to Jamie…now that I was out of the way, he had easy access. Finally I opened my mouth the words slurred "From you I would have expected this, but you Mel…" I said softly almost pleading. She cast me a glance, almost like an apology opening her mouth as if she was going to say something.

"Save your breath boy." Erik said an evil smirk appearing on his lips. I coughed spitting out the blood that had pooled in my mouth before looking up at him. He smirked grabbing her arm pulling her away, leaving me alone. I breathed out the pain finally numbing. But I knew this wasn't a good thing, my body was shutting down…I was dying.

And Julie…this would crush her, I couldn't die. I couldn't leave her all alone. But despite all my protests my vision faded all too quickly. The metallic sent of blood faded and the pain was gone. I blinked standing up slowly. I knew something wasn't right, I could feel it. I looked down at my hands, they looked the same, felt the same. But when I glanced back, that wasn't the same. Or maybe it was, it was me.

There I was, staring into space sitting in a puddle of my own blood. I shuddered, I was dead. It was really happening, but I didn't have much time to dwell on the fact. Julie opened the front door her melodic voice filling my ears "Josh, I'm home!" she called. I dashed out to see the beautiful blonde looking slightly hurt that I hadn't responded yet.

"Julie!" I called standing in the doorway, but she didn't seem to hear walking past me like I wasn't even there. "Josh? You in here?" she called I tried to grab her wrist with no avail, my hand just went through it, she couldn't see me. She couldn't hear me. She couldn't even touch me.

She gasped "Josh!" She screamed running at my body shaking my shoulders "Wake up! Please!" She screamed over and over tears beginning to stream down her face. "Please!" she said blood smearing her fingers she backed away pressing her back to the wall. "Julie please!" I pleaded stepping in front of her putting my hands on her shoulders. Or over her shoulders, like she would finally look up and see me. But she didn't she stood there, tears streaming down her face dripping to the floor.

Then she ran past me running out the door. She was going to tell Jamie…wasn't she. I dashed after her running past her running trough Holly's door. She and Jamie were embracing when Julie burst through the door collapsing onto the ground sobbing into her hands. Jamie blinked moving closer to her "Jules?" He asked softly "What's wrong?"

She swallowed "It's Josh!" She screamed bursting into tears again. Jamie frowned "What did he do?" He asked putting a finger under her chin pulling her face up so he could get a good look at her. Her lip trembled "He's…" She swallowed trying to gather herself again "He's dead."

Jamie froze his arm dropping. Tears falling from his eyes as he tried to whipe them away but they only fall faster. Holly blinked, slightly stunned wrapping her arm around Jamie's shoulders. "Shh…it's okay" She whispered pulling him closer letting him cry into her shoulder. I don't know how long I stood there, watching my younger brother cry…about my death. But finally Jamie spoke his words pained.

He sniffed "No, it's not okay Holly…he's dead" He moaned not lifting his face from her shoulder. I never knew it would affect Jamie this way. I'd purposely drawn away from him after I was changed, that kept him alive those first months. But Jamie had a knack for finding trouble; he'd gone out and found his own vampire. Not only that, but managed to fall in love with her too.

Yes, it's Holly, she found him in the streets one night…alone. He'd been a food source then, I could tell…but somehow the two got closer. No matter what I said to her she kept coming back until they came home announcing that she was pregnant. I suppose it didn't look like it bothered me, like it didn't infuriate me. But it did, and Jamie got too close…I shook my head trying to force the memory out of my thoughts, why was I thinking about that now? Jamie was fine…now.

I blinked realizing they were gone, I'd lost track of them…I glanced out the window letting out a deep breath, they were in the car. I slipped out the door jogging to keep up with Holly's car. They parked outside my house. I felt my eyes widen, no, they couldn't be going in there. I couldn't let Jamie see me like that, he could barely bear the news let alone see the facts.

"Hey!" I yelled "Jamie you are _not _going in there!" but he didn't listen, if he could even hear me. He hesitantly opened the door. He stepped inside as if he expected me to be in there waiting for him. But I wasn't, I suppose I was still in the kitchen…I shuddered moving past them into the house.

Holly froze in the doorway she gasped "Oh my god…" she whispered leaning against the frame her eyes were wide and her hand went to her mouth, as if she was fighting the urge to get sick. Jamie hesitantly peering around her, his jaw dropped "No…no no no" he whispered his lower lip quivering. Holly looked over at him a look of pain crossed her own features.

"Jamie, you don't have to look at this." She whispered putting her arm around him causing Jamie to turning to her swallowing hard "He was the only family I had left…" he whispered softly. She nodded leading him to the couch and they both sat down. "I'll get someone to help okay?" she whispered standing up slowly her lips brushing against his forehead. Hesitantly I moved forward sitting down next to him nudging him. He didn't move, he didn't react only looked ahead. I sighed, so I was invisible to everyone.

When Holly came back she whispered something softly holding him close to her body. I frowned feeling a longing for closeness with Julie, I might be able to see her, but I couldn't touch her or feel her. She couldn't see me, she couldn't touch me, and it was like I was walking in a shadow. What I wouldn't give to be able to touch her one more time, to tell her I loved her.

Then there was a knock on the door and Holly got up slowly "That's her." She said opening the door slowly. A girl stepped in and my eyes fixed on Julie sniffing as she moved up the stairs. I swallowed moving behind her watching her as she crawled onto the bed curling up. I don't know what possessed me to crawl into the bed with her nuzzling her neck softly. A false memory, the closest I could get to the real thing.

"Josh…" she whispered softly moving closer to me. I ran my fingers through her silky blonde hair, feeling the soft texture of it on my fingertips. The corners of her mouth raised in a small smile. I swallowed hard feeling tears form at the corners of my eyes "Julie, can you hear me?" he asked softly.

"Mmmm" she whispered her eyes closed. I swallowed "Julie, I'm so sorry…I wish I didn't have to happen this way." She merely nodded "It's okay" she said her lip quivering tears falling. She let out a deep breath closing her eyes "I miss you so much, Josh" She must think she's dreaming, that I'm only a distant memory peaking its way out of her subconscious.

But still I found myself responding "I miss you too Jules" I whispered "More than you could ever imagine."

The door opened and Holly peaked inside "Julie?" She asked softly looking at her. Jules didn't say anything pulling her body into a tighter ball. "Julie? You okay?" She asked sitting down next to her. "Hmm" She whispered opening her eyes looking over at her.

"We're going soon," she said swallowing "Being here seems to be too much grief for you to handle…"

Tears began pouring from her eyes "We can't just leave him here!" she cried sitting up. Holly nodded "I know; I'll have someone take care of him." She said softly

Julie hesitated "what are we gonna do with him?" She whispered causing Holly to sigh "We're going to do what you do with all dead people; we're going to bury him."

I felt my heart break; due to some crazed mix up I was stuck between dead and alive. They were still talking but something wasn't right. I felt my body shake, what was going to happen to me? Was this a blessing or a curse? I closed my eyes sighing deeply, I was going to pay someone a visit, that person would be Melissa.

I clenched my teeth peering in seeing Mel sitting on the bed in a hotel room. Her long red hair pulled back, her face streaked with tears. I moved silently until I was standing in front of her. She looked up her eyes widening. She jumped back pressing her back against the wall "Josh!?" doctor

I blinked "You can see me?" I asked advancing foreword my fingers brushing against her arm. I felt her soft skin; again, like in the bedroom with Julie, it was another person. But this time, she could actually see me. She yanked her arm away her eyes wide. "You're dead!" She screamed

"And you killed me" I stated calmly. You would think that I would be angry…but I wasn't. She took away everything that was precious to me, my love, my brother…my life. But somehow, I needed her. She was the only person that truly saw me, granted Julie heard me, and she felt my presence. But this was different. She frowned moving forward "I'm hallucinating…" she whispered putting her hands on both sides of my face. I had no idea what why she was doing this but she gingerly pressed her lips to mine.

I felt my eyes widen as I shoved her away. "Mel! What the fuck!" I shouted "You shove a knife through my heart and you think I'd want to kiss you!? You have a pretty messed up mind Melissa."

She began crying "B-but you'll fuck those girls! Why am I any different?"

I sighed, shaking my head, what was I supposed to say to her? Sorry Mel I just was never attracted to you? Sorry Mel you sort of killed me? I frowned beginning to walk away, this was a bad idea. She grabbed my arm "Josh!" she pleaded, I sighed again "You always compare my actions towards you to my actions toward other women." I said trying to keep my voice even. "But did you ever stop to think the reason I pushed you away is because I thought of you as a sister?"

She froze dropping my arm looking at me sitting back down sighing softly. She placed her head in her hands beginning to cry softly. She sniffed pulling her knees to her chest looking up at me "But…"

I put my hand up backing away from her "Mel, we _used_ to have a great friendship. But when you pull crap like this, or like what you did earlier? Or say the things you said, things change." I said my voice faltering at the end "I moved on, why can't you?"

She frowned her voice broken, hurt filling her tone "Josh, please I didn't mean to! Can't we pretend this never happen? Like you never…"

I held up my hand "No, I can't. Thanks to you and your brilliant plan, I'm dead. That's the way it's going to stay, forever." I said knowing she had the power to bring me back, but right know…I didn't know if she could face me again. Maybe if I was gone…Jamie would be safer. Maybe…

But I knew all too well that Jamie wasn't safe, Jamie was anything but. Without me Jamie was defenseless. I took in a deep breath starting for the door her voice low as I turned the handle turning back to face her. "Besides, you need a heart to love something." I said before leaving the room closing the door quickly. I let out a shaky breath as I started toward Holly's house; tonight was going to last forever.


End file.
